Cap for a writing implement



June 6, 1967 Filed Jan. :5, 1966 O. MIJTSCHLER CAP FOR A WRITING IMPLEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnmntar: OTTO Nurse/ml? June 6, 1967 o. MUTSCSHLER 3,

CAP FOR A WRITING IMPLEMENT Filed Jan. 5, 1966 2, Sheets-Sheet 2 In ventor OTTO MUTSCHLER 5 MM aka Emmi.

United States Patent 3,323,494 CAP FQR A WRITING IMPLEMENT Otto Mutschler, Angelweg 29, Heidelberg, Germany Filed Jan. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 518,059 Claims priority, application Germany, Jan. 16, 1965, M 50,466 7 Claims. (Cl. 120-42131) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The shank of a bolt having a square head passes through the square washer portion of a fountain pen clip longitudinally into the square end of a tubular cap for a fountain pen, and is releasably fastened by a nut in the cap. Engaged projections and recesses hold the bolt, the clip, and the cap in angular alignment of their four sides relative to the cap axis.

This invention relates to caps for fountain pens, ball pens, mechanical pencils, and like writing implements, and particularly to caps which are of polygonal cross section at their closed end.

The problem with the solution of which this invention is concerned and the solution contributed by this invention will be described hereinafter with reference to a fountain pen for the sake of convenience, but it will be understood that they apply equally to other similar writing implementts.

A fountain pen cap of at least partly angular cross section provides a firmer grip for the hand of the user. This is particularly advantageous when the cap is threadedly connected to the body of the pen because it permits the torque for sealing the pen to be closely controlled so that a tight seal is formed, but the threads are not stripped.

It has been difficult heretofore to provide a fountain pen cap whose closed end has an angular cross section with a clip that conforms to the contour of the cap, is securely fastened to the cap, yet may be replaced easily if it is bent or broken. The three desirable properties could not be combined in a single structure.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a fountain pen cap of angular cross section with a clip which is readily replaceable, is securely fastened to the cap, yet does not detract from the pleasing appearance of the cap.

A concomitant object is the provision of a fountain pen cap having a clip and being free from projecting corners which may snag clothing.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention when considered with the annexed drawing in which;

FIG. 1 shows a fountain pen cap of the invention in axial section and the body of the pen in phantom view; and

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the cap of FIG. 1, a portion of the barrel being broken away to show a normally hidden element.

The cap essentially consists of four elements, a shoulder bolt A, a clip member B, a tubular barrel C, and a slotted nut D.

The bolt A has a square head whose four axially extending principal faces 1 define a square in a section perpendicular to the bolt axis.

The four corresponding faces 2 on the shoulder part of the shank define a smaller square angularly aligned with that of the head faces 1. The free end of the shank remote from the head is threaded.

The clip member B consists of a square washer 6' integral with the clip 6 proper. As best seen in FIG. 2, the

3,323,494 Patented June 6, 1967 washer has three angularly aligned sets of four faces. The faces 3 define a square central aperture in the washer and are approximately comformingly engaged by the faces 2 of the bolt A. The faces 4 of the second set define a square recess on the underside of the washer 6", as viewed in the drawing, the recess having a greater cross section than the aperture of the washer. The clip proper 6 extends from the washer 6' in a generally axial direction.

The barrel C is a tube which tapers axially. Its wide end is circular in cross section and open to receive an inserted fountain pen 7, shown in phantom view in FIG. 1. An end wall 8 closes the narrow end of the cavity in the barrel C except for a central bore. As seen in FIG. 2, the narrow, partly closed end of the barrel C has four major facets 9 offset from each other about the axis of the cap.

A square projection 10 extends from the central portion of the wall 8 in an axially outward direction. It has four axially extending faces 5 arranged in a square about the axis. The projection 10 is received in the afore-mentioned recess of the washer 6, the faces 5 approximately conforming to the faces 4 of the washer and preventing relative rotation of the clip B and of the barrel C by their abutting engagement. The faces 3 of the washer 6' and the faces 2 of the bolt A similarly prevent relative rotation of the clip B and bolt A.

An internally threaded ring or nut D is mounted on the free end of the bolt A in the cavity of the barrel C, and holds the barrel in fixed axial relationship with the clip member by abutment against the wall 8. A slot 11 on the underside of the nut D permits the nut to be released by means of a key when the clip B is to be replaced.

The four outer faces 4 of the washer 6 taper slightly toward the head of the bolt A at approximately the same angle as the corresponding outer faces 1 of the head and as the facets 9 of the barrel. Each facet is flush or approximately fiush with the associated Washer face 4' and head face 1.

The axial alignment of the several faces and facets at 90 offset about the cap axis gives the cap a pleasing appearance and is readily achieved so that projecting sharp corners are avoided. More than four major facets may, of course, be provided on the barrel C, and the number of faces on the bolt A and washer 6 may 'be increased correspondingly. It is rather difficult, however, to reduce the number of facets to less than four, and difficult to provide an odd number of facets.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates only to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

I. A cap for a writing implement comprising, in comoination:

(a) a tubular member having an axis and defining an axially elongated cavity therein, an axial end portion of said member having a plurality of axially extending outer facets angularly offset about said axis and a transverse wall axially bounding said cavity and formed with an axial bore therethrough;

(b) a clip member having a centrally apertured washer portion and a clip portion, said washer portion being axially superposed on the transverse wall outside said cavity, and the aperture thereof being axially aligned with said bore, said clip portion extending axially from said washer portion outside said cavity;

(c) a threaded member having a head portion axially superposed on said washer portion, and a shank portion passing axially through said aperture and said bore into said cavity;

(d) engaged abutment means on said washer portion and said threaded member for preventing relative rotation of said washer portion and of said threaded member about said axis; and

(e) a nut member threadably engaging said shank portion in said cavity for holding said clip member in fixed axial relationship with said tubular member.

2. A cap as set forth in claim 1, wherein said washer portion has a plurality of substantially flat axially extending faces, said faces being angularly ofiset about said axis and defining said aperture therebetween, the shank portion of said threaded member having a plurality of axially extending angularly offset faces, substantially conformingly engaging said faces of the washer member in said aperture, said faces of the washer member and of the shank portion jointly constituting said abutment means.

3. A cap as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transverse wall has an outward axial projection extending about said bore thereof and spaced from said facets toward said axis, said projection having a plurality of substantially flat axially extending faces angularly offset about said axis, and facing away from said axis, said washer portion has two sets of substantially flat axially extending faces angularly offset about said axis, the faces of one of said sets substantially conformingly engaging the faces of said projection, respectively, the faces of the second set defining said aperture therebetween, the shank portion of said threaded member having a plurality of axially extending faces angularly offset about said axis and substantially conformingly engaging the faces of said second set, the faces of said second set and the faces of said shank portion jointly constituting said abutment means.

4. A cap as set forth in claim 3, wherein each face of said first set is substantially parallel to a face of said second set and angularly aligned with one of said facets.

5. A cap as set forth in claim 4, wherein said washer portion has a third set of faces angularly aligned with corresponding faces of said first and second sets and facing away from said axis, each face of said third set being contiguously adjacent one of said facets.

6. A cap as set forth in claim 5, wherein said head portion has a plurality of axially extending faces angularly spaced about said axis and facing away from said axis, each face of said third set being contiguously adjacent and flush with one of said faces of said head portion and one of said facets.

7. A cap as set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said sets has an even number of faces not smaller than four equiangularly spaced about said axis.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,776,384 9/1930 Garabedian 12042.01 1,872,064 8/1932 Luthbert 120-42.01 X 2,076,997 4/1937 Livsey 12046 2,554,641 5/1951 Sears 12046 LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CAP FOR A WRITING IMPLEMENT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AN AXIS AND DEFINING AN AXIALLY ELONGATED CAVITY THEREIN, AN AXIAL END PORTION OF SAID MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY EXTENDING OUTER FACETS ANGULARLY OFFSET ABOUT SAID AXIS AND A TRANSVERSE WALL AXIALLY BOUNDING SAID CAVITY AND FORMED WITH AN AXIAL BORE THERETHROUGH; (B) A CLIP MEMBER HAVING A CENTRALLY APERTURED WASHER PORTION AND A CLIP PORTION, SAID WASHER PORTION BEING AXIALLY SUPERPOSED ON THE TRANSVERSE WALL OUTSIDE SAID CAVITY, AND THE APERTURE THEREOF BEING AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH SAID BORE, SAID CLIP PORTION EXTENDING AXIALLY FROM SAID WASHER PORTION OUTSIDE SAID CAVITY; (C) A THREADED MEMBER HAVING A HEAD PORTION AXIALLY SUPERPOSED ON SAID WASHER PORTION, AND A SHANK PORTION PASSING AXIALLY THROUGH SAID APERTURE AND SAID BORE INTO SAID CAVITY; (D) ENGAGED ABUTMENT MEANS ON SAID WASHER PORTION AND SAID THREADED MEMBER FOR PREVENTING RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID WASHER PORTION AND OF SAID THREADED MEMBER ABOUT SAID AXIS; AND (E) A NUT MEMBER THREADABLY ENGAGING SAID SHANK POR- 